1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus provided with an architecture enabling development of an application realized by a workflow including a combination of plural function process units.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, there have generally become known image processing apparatuses in which functions of a printer, a copier, a facsimile machine, a scanner, etc., are housed in a single chassis. Such a multifunctional image processing apparatus includes a display unit, a printing unit, and an imaging unit, and three types of applications corresponding to the printer, the copier, and the fax machine provided in a single chassis. By switching from one application to another, the apparatus is caused to operate as a printer, a copier, a facsimile machine, or a scanner (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
The plural applications that operate in such a multifunctional image processing apparatus have an enormous number of functions, and are becoming more and more complex as software is becoming large-scale. Furthermore, the multifunctional image processing apparatus does not only operate as a stand-alone device, but also operates in a distributed computing environment. Accordingly, the multifunctional image processing apparatus can provide new advantages by using the Web and by operating in cooperation with other devices.
For example, there is proposed a technology by which a user of a mobile device can access a printing service via the Internet, specify the location where a document is stored with a URL, and send a print request to a multifunctional image processing apparatus (see, for example, Patent Document 2).
Furthermore, when a new printer resource is connected to a network in a distributed computing environment, the resource can be downloaded if it conforms to predetermined conditions, so that the multifunctional image processing apparatus can operate in the distributed computing environment (see, for example, Patent Document 3).
Moreover, there is a proposed application program interface for facilitating use of a network software platform configured with applications and computer hardware (see, for example, Patent Document 4).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2002-084383
Patent Document 2: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2004-062889
Patent Document 3: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2004-355504
Patent Document 4: US Patent Publication No. 2003/028685
In the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, plural applications and operating systems are divided into separate hierarchies so that different applications can control hardware resources such as a printer and a scanner without being affected by the differences. In the technology disclosed in Patent Document 2, services using the Web are expanded. The technology disclosed in Patent Document 3 helps prevent the increase of processes required for downloading data via the Web. The technology disclosed in Patent Document 4 facilitates operations of changing applications and hardware of the computer.
Although these technologies have significantly enhanced the possibility of applying new applications, each application needs to be developed to perform a sequence of operations, thus increasing the workload required to develop each application.